San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-04-14
CHAPTER ~.


should see more of each other. They
were always meeting out Of doors, and
there were also many inducements for lin
gering after supper under the trees of the
lawn, where Lady Anna and Mr. Lansing
were not fond of sitting.
Mark had grown to like Sibyl very
much. He had never thought of .sliking"
pretty girl until he met her; but he felt
that this was the fittest word to describe
the regard he had conceived for her. She
was too childish to excite any other Just
yet, he decided, in man. And Sibyl, on
her side, found Mark almost as amusing
as the boys had been. She used to laugh
at him sometimes when he had on his
blighted air which sat so i'll on his robust
young frame, and could rarely subdue the
lurking laughter in his honest blue eyes.
And Mark, submitted, as a rule, to be
laughed at, consoling himself with the re-
Election that Sibyls own turn would come
some day.
Sibyl was in the garden one morning,
before breakfast, when she saw Mark
coming to her across the lawn. He was
crushing letter in his hand and looking
very fierce. The letter indeed contained
the announcement of his cousin Hates
approaching marriage.
"What is the matter2" she said, letting
the lilac bush she was holding fly out of
her hand, and turning to him with sweet
eyes full of concern. "Are you ill3 You
look quite pallet"
81 am as well as l shall ever be-" re-
turned Mr.. Breton sardonica!ly, while
you women have the power to blight a
mans whole life with a word"
Dear me~ Sibyl was really alarmed
81 hope you do not mean met 1t is not
the chair again, is it2 Though l don't
see how else | have offended you"
mo, not" The young man dashed his
hand across his brow with an ejaculation
of scorn, of passion of remuneration. "You
have always been the best little friend to
me, Sibylw-he sometimes called her so
when they were alone. and she had not
thought it worth while to check him.
"But you are only child you cannot IN
derstand yet. When you grow up, l have
no doubt you will follow the traditions of
your delightful sex, and make some poor
wretch as miserable as l am now"
"0h, Mr.. Bretton'-more and more
startled-"what has put such thoughts
into your head2 Is there anything the
matterR Hadn't you better speak to aunt
Anna about it9 She is so kind; she does
not mind what any one has done, if she
can only comfort them and make them
promise to be better"
A vague dread was in Sibyrs innocent
mind. She knew that when boys grew to
be young men they were sometimes wick
ed and extravaganza, and caused great
pain to those at home, like poor Clement.
Was Mr.. Breton wicked too9 He looked
so frank and nice, and seemed so content
ed in their dull old house.
"Do go and speak to aunt Anna" she
urged, putting her little brown hand for
moment on his sleeve.
"She cannot heal my pain, sweet as she
is" declared Mark modify.
He did really consider himself very
badly treated and very desperately In
love; and Sibyrs pretty startled pallor
and wide open brown eyes were soothing
to his feelings. He was not unwilling to
show her how wrong she had been to
laugh at him occasionally, not averse to
letting her see what unsupported depths
of suffering lay beneath his calm exte-
riOr.
''Oh, you are only in pain! I mean
that sounds very heartless" explained
Sibyl; with little relieved laugh-"but
thought was afraid it might be some
thing worse Is it toothache, OF what2-
Come in and let aunt Anna cure you"
at is not toothache, Sibyl" Mark be-
gan to laugh in spite of himself-rather
discounted laugh; but what was the use
in talking sentiment to an innocent child
like that2 1t is only that have been fool
enough TOTO fall in love with woman
who has thrown me overr
This was hardly an exact statement Of
the facts, but for the moment Mark be-
lieyed it.
Sibyrs face grew solemn.
You are-in lover" she said, almost in
whisper.
"Over head and ears, worse luckl"-
Mark answered with theatrical little
shrug of his sturdy English shoulders.
Sibyl drew long breath, and looked
him all over with totally new interest.
II never saw any one before who was
in love-" she said in the same -strick-
en- little whisper. No wonder 1 could
never think of you as boy! That is
why you have always seemed so entirely
different"
mo doubtr-bitterly. 1 have come
into my mans full inheritance Of suffer-
ing"
The girl sank down upon the grass,
EasteTn-fashiOn, and sat in her faded
brown-holland frock, looking with all her
eyes at cousin Kate's rejected lover
Mark Breton was no longer merely 'pu-
pill" in her eyes-a young cub, as the
Countess had called the lads who came to
the Rectory to read. He was mana
hero; he knew by his own sad experience
what Give Newcome felt for Ethel, what
Stephen Guest felt for Maggie Tulliver,
what all her favorite characters in novels
had had 40 andupa gpOop fallowlH she